Plaiter and method of making a plait



June 21, 1955 M. F. CURRIE 2,711,140 PLAITER AND METHOD OF MAKING A PLAIT INVENTOR 2,711,140 Patented June ,21, 1955 United States P t fito This invention relates to improvements in fabric folders y 2 otheriscale markings. A 2" mark is shown on each side of the device. Slots 11 may be arranged at suitable distances apart, say one-half inch, and are marked in any desired way. A stop 14 may be mounted in slots 11 at the point where it is desired to halt the travel of W n17. A -slot is made in base plate 1 to receive a screw or screws for fastening the plate 1 to the sewing machine, preferably using one or more of the screw for sewing machines and more particularly to a guide and measuring device which may be readily a'ttac'hed to the regular type of domestic sewing lmadhine bed plate; to enable the operator to form and st'itch' 'kn'ifeplaits, box plaits, folds, gathers and the like herein, referred to generally as plaits, of a desired width..'- Th'ejdeviceis simple to operate and produces folded ornamentation of pleasing uniformity. i l I A A principal object of the invention is toprov'ide a-fabric pick-up member and a measuring scale adjacentjthe sew+ ing machine needle. The scale is ,parallehor pproximately so, to the fabric to be stitched. Thepick-up member, 'the motion of which is limited by a special stop or the needle of the sewing machine,- .is adjustablealong the scale to engagev and fold the fabric neatly andquzick'ly for stitching. V

The invention will be fully understood from I ing description, read in connection with theaccbmpanying drawing, in which,

Fig. I is a perspective view of the device of my invention;

Fig. II is an enlarged transverse sectional view, showing in detail the rider which .is provided to hold the fabric in the desired position for folding; i L

Fig. 111 is an enlarged .transverse sectional view,-;showing in detail the stop member which is provided'tol-imit the motion of the pick-up member; and i i Fig. IV is an. enlarged perspective View, broken awa in part, showing a fabric to be plaited arranged in the device.

In the drawings, reference numeral 1 denotes a base plate having an inverted trough-shaped housing 2 composed of side walls 3 and 4 and top 5. A slot 6 extends throughout the greater part of the length of. the wall 3' and is parallel to the base 1. The bottom of wall 4 is elevated somewhat with respect to the bottom of wall 3.

A preferred form of pick-up member'is shown as slidable arm 7 which works in slot 6 and passes beneath wall 4. Arm 7 may be prevented from slipping through to the left by a small projection 8, which may be struck up from arm 7 or may be formed or attached in any other suitable way; or the projection 8 maybe omitted and arm 7 allowed to work freely both longitudinally and transversely of the slot 6. A finger piece 9 is secured to the end of arm 7. Alternatively, arm 7 may be made of spring steel, or the like, so that the operator can readily bend it up at the end and move it along the track provided by slot 6 and the bottom of wall 4. When so bendable, the arm may be readily grasped without the provision of finger piece 9.

A rider 10 is mounted on top 5 in the alined slots 11 holes ordiuarily ,provided .on the sewing machine bed plate. 'The slotf15 and adjusting screws give flexibility in adjusting the base plate 1 towards or away from needle 13. Element 12 holds a portion of the strip of fabric to be plaited at a point elevated with respect to the base plate or carrierland at a predetermined distance from thestop .14. a

Stop 14 has shoulders14' adapted to seat in slots 11,

' and depending side pieces 16, 17, which extend down to base .platel, or almost to it, as clearly shown in Fig. 1H.

E The operation of the'device is as follows:

.;-The operator sets rider 10 at the proper mark to make a plait orfold of the desired width. For example, a twoinch knife plait is made by setting the rider at the 2" mark on the scale at the front of needle 13. The operator enga'ge s the material, drawn outflat and parallel 'to base plate 1, by pin 12, at a point on the fabric opposite ihei? mark. The operator then pushes arm 7 up theifollowg "I intoeng'agement with the side of the sew-ing machine needle; Stop 14 will be used. when the plait or fold is not, sobe carried up to the side of the needle. As shown in. :IY; the fabr ic passes under arm 7 and upward over pin 12, then down under presser foot 13a. The fa-brie isheld by this arrangement, so that when arm 7 is pushed forwardly, a -fold or plait of the desired width is formed. g 7

Arm 7 moves the fabric with respect to the point 'on the fabric held pin 12, so as to make a fold. The operator then disengages the fabric from ,pin 12 and stitchesfthe folded fabric to the desired extent. A pre ferred method of usingthe device is as follows: The

With; the thumb and index finger of the left hand, the

fabric isplaeed over pin 12 at right anglesto the "edge of anaemi Novtg'holding the fabric with the'left hand, arm 7 is brought forwardly in the direction of pin 12 and up to stop 14, or such other stop as may be selected. The fabric is then lifted from the pin and smoothed out to form the plait, following the outline made by the folding action of arm 7. The arm is pulled backward, where it will be in position for making the next plait. The operator stitches up to a marker, which may be any of those provided on the device, to secure the plait in the formed position. The plaits may abut one against the other or they may be spaced from each other. This operation may be repeated in identical form or any desired variations in the distance between the folds may be made by adjustment of rider 10 and stop 14. The operator may work with the machine sewing either forward or backward, as the scale is graduated both ways from the needle.

Base plate 1 is preferably made of metal, such as aluminum, and slots 6 and 11 may be formed while the plate is flat and the trough-shaped part 3, 4, 5 then struck up, making a very simple assembly. Arm 7 may be made of metal also, preferably of light, pliable or springy metal, I

3 serves the function of a carrier and may adapted to that end.

Sewing machines at present are provided with attachments for making tucks and it is possible to use these attachments to make plaits, but only by complicated and tiresome handling of the fabric. Shirring attachments can be operated to make plaits of a limited scope. By means of the present invention, the operation is greatly facilitated. Folding ornamentation of fabrics, of widely different kinds, can be produced with ease and accuracy.

I claim: 7 V V 1. A plait-forming device for use on a sewing machine, comprising a carrier, means for securing said carrier to the sewing machine adjacent the needle thereof, a stop independent of the sewing mechanism of the sewing machine, means on said carrier for holding a portion of a strip of fabric to be plaited in temporarily fixed position at a point elevated with respect to said carrier and at a predetermined distance from said stop, said stop adapted to be positioned between said needle and said holding means, and means mounted on said carrier below said holding means for moving the strip of fabric up to said have any shape 7 side just mentioned, spaced from the needle and slotted V longitudinally, and the means for moving the strip of fabric is an arm slidable longitudinally of the slot and beneath the elevated side of the housing;

6. Apparatus according to claim 5, in which the stop is in the form of a plate mounted in a selected one of the slots.

7. A plait-forming device for use on sewing machines, comprising" a base, a housing on said base and having a longitudinal slot near. said base, said housing having transverse slots in the upper part thereof, said transverse slots being arranged at predetermined intervals with respect to the needle of the sewing machine, means for movement of the arm.

stop, whereby the fabric is folded into position'for-stitching to form a plait of the desired width, when released from said holding means.

2. Apparatus according to claim 1, in which the holding means is adjustably mounted for movement towards or away from the stop.

3. Apparatus according to claim 1, in which the holding means is in the form of a member having a pointed end adapted to engage the fabric to beplaited.

4. A lait-forming device for use on sewing machines, comprising a base, a housing on said base havingslots formed in the upper surface thereof, means for securing the base to the sewing machine adjacent the needle thereof, a rider seated in a selected one of the slots, said rider carrying upwardly directed pointed means to engage a portion of a strip of fabric to be plaited and to hold said portion in an elevated position withrespect to the base, a stop, and means for moving the strip of fabric below the holding point and up to the stop,whereby the fabric is folded into position for stitching to form a plait of the desired width, when released from theholding means.

5. Apparatus according to claim 4, in which the housing is in the form of an inverted trough having a side adjacent the needle elevated with respect to, and extesecuring the base to the sewing machine adjacent the needle thereof, a rider seated in a selected one of the transverse slots, a fabric-engaging pin on the rider and 8.".Methodof forming a plait by use of a sewing machine, comprising placing a strip of fabric with oneedge in general alinement with the stitching direction of the needle, establishing a fixed point in said fabric strip by engaging a portion of said strip with a projecting member to'hold the fabric in temporarily fixed position at apredetermined distance from a stop, moving a transverse portion of the fabric strip underneath and forwardly with respect to, said fixed point, and continuing the movementof'the fabric towards the needle of the sew ing machine'until the movement is halted by the stop,

whereby aplait of the desired width is made in the fabric, releasing the "fabric from said fixed point, and stitching the plait.

- References Cited in'thefile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Seaman Mar. 31, 1942 

